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How I anodize

Finally due to loads of PM's about how I get nice finishes in my home shop anodizing.

Here's part 1 talking about my process and just some general knowledge I learned along the way making parts.
I will actually anodize something for part 2.

I apologise if its a bit all over the shop, and goes for 20 minutes, but there's some good nuggets in there.
Next video I'll put it all into practice. I'm still getting used to making videos. Blah. But this setup is small, but expandable, and works really really well for me.

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Tried to clean up alumnium valve cover, same way. Both my eyes turned black and swollen shut for two days when wife saw what I had done. She allowed the eyes were almost as dark as the VC. Don't even want to mention using the BBQ for rattlecan paint curing, but the black wrinkle finish was almost perfect. YMMV

I do not use nitric acid, just naoh, come straight out of the bath into a rinse and into your acid tank. All you need.
Also don't be scared of NaOH. It can be your friend for removing microscratches and crap off a surface you want to look pretty. Dip it in NaOH, rinse it and scrub it in the sink, back in NaOH then into your rinse and acid bath. The surface finish will look amazing.

With the plate electrodes, all you need to do is give them a quick sand or wire brush each time, no need to strip them, just wipe off the brownish crud and I normally give them a quick blast with my wire brush on a drill.

Thats pretty much it. In my next video- I will not only anodize, but I'm going to show how to use aluminum as part of the anode connection if it works. It's a neat idea that I'm sure will look great

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In my experiments I've used carbon rods[1] for the electrodes, they work pretty well and don't crud up at all - same in the E.G.B.E.R.T (Electrolytic Gungey Bubbling Encrustation Removal Tank), it's nice not having all the brown sludge and barnacles to scrape off the anode!

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I find using anything with lead or stainless corrodes faster then the part builds anodizing layer in bigger / multiple parts or if current density gets too high. I'll make my actual part tonight so you can see how it all goes. I got a plan to make it a better video. Stay tuned